'We're going to Adelaide to win': Tickford makes Grand Final vow
Tickford Racing set on winning in Adelaide after Semi Final elimination
Cam Waters, Thomas Randle both knocked out of 2025 Finals at Sandown
Tickford boasts best team record in the Gen3 era in Adelaide
Make no mistake, Tickford Racing is going to the bp Adelaide Grand Final with clear intent to win.
The Ford squad fell short of securing a Grand Final spot at last weekend's Penrite Oil Sandown 500, despite Cam Waters entering the weekend above the cut-line.
Waters and Thomas Randle finished the opener in 12th and 16th, and were up against it heading into Sunday. In response, Waters vowed to ruffle feathers on Sunday, and a forceful pass on Matt Payne nearly paid dividends.
However, a cut tyre ended Waters' hopes, with the contact inadvertently taking Payne out too.
It was yet more proof that Tickford wasn't going down without a fight, with team owner Rod Nash pleased to get both cars into the Semi Final.
“We didn't get Cam Waters or Thomas Randle through to the Grand Final but we’re still happy as a team," Nash said in a Ford release.
"To go through the second-last weekend of the year and have two cars in the semi-final mix is something to be proud of.
“The Saturday race was not good for either car and we paid the price, but we went in hard on Sunday and Cam really got into it.
“Good on Waters and Matty Payne. They were both racing for the Grand Final, got their elbows out, banged wheels and didn’t back down.
“It was a good example of what the Finals series is all about: exciting racing."
Tickford, which has welcomed new ownership, has been the form team in Adelaide in the Gen3 era. Only Brodie Kostecki (4.75) and Broc Feeney (5.0) have better qualifying averages than Randle's 5.25 and Waters' 5.5. Only Feeney (3.75) has a better race average than Waters (4.5) and Randle (5.25).
On those numbers alone, Tickford will be hard to stop next weekend, and Nash insists the goal is to bring home trophies, just as the Ford team has done the last two years.
"We’re going to Adelaide to win in Adelaide," Nash said.
"It’s the second-best event of the year after Bathurst, the Friday night race will be great, and you go there to race hard and win.”
Tickford will also run a third car for NASCAR Cup Series star Austin Cindric, while Rylan Gray is in the box seat to win the 2025 Super2 Series.
